As it happened: Tour de Yorkshire 2016 Stage One

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Published:10:07Updated:17:12Friday 29 April 2016

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Dylan Groenewegen has won the first stage of the 2016 Tour de Yorkshire, which saw riders cycle the 187km route from Beverley to Settle.

Dylan Groenewegen of Lotto Jumbo NL claimed a thrilling sprint finish victory up the hill into Settle on day one of the Tour de Yorkshire on Friday.

The 22-year-old Dutchman held off the challenge of much-fancied Caleb Ewan of Australian team Orica GreenEdge to take the leader’s blue jersey.

Groenewegen surged ahead in the final 50 metres and held the inside line coming up Duke Street.

It was a day of drama, marked by heavy rain showers and wintry conditions, and also notable for the surprise abandonment of Sir Bradley Wiggins, shortly after the peloton had climbed Cote de Greenhow Hill.

Neither Wiggins, nor the team of his name, would comment afterwards on his decision to withdraw.

There was reason to cheer for Yorkshire cycling fans as Skipton’s Pete Williams, riding for the OnePro Cycling team, claimed the King of the Mountain’s jersey after winning the climb up Greenhow Hill.

Williams, 29, was also rewarded with the jersey for the most aggressive rider.

Keep an eye on this thread to stay up-to-date with the race throughout the weekend.

The weather may have been decidedly wintry for the end of April, but we saw some intense action as the elite cyclists made their way from Beverley to Settle via Market Weighton, Tadcaster, Wetherby, Knaresborough and the fearsome Greenhow Hill.

He is presented as the winner on stage with Sir Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, and Christian Prudhomme, General Director of the Tour de France.

The peloton makes its way down Knaresborough High Street in the rain on Stage One of the Tour de Yorkshire.

Wiggins pulls out

Sir Bradley Wiggins has retired from the race.

Crowds prepare for big finish in Settle

The people of Settle came out in their hundreds for the culmination of the first stage of the Tour de Yorkshire, despite the rain.

There were three generations of the Wilcock family stood 25 meters from the finish line.

Husband and wife Chris and Celia were joined by daughter Laura and their five-month-old granddaughter Maggie.

Tour de Yorkshire cyclists pass Beverley Minster.

“The last time a cycle race came through Settle was the Milk Race when I was about six,” laughed Chris, whose son-in-law Mick runs a local cycle shop in Settle.

Brother and sister Jethro, 7, and Georgia Entwhistle, 10, were stood with their mother on the finish line.

“We watched the start at home and then raced down here to get a good spot,” said Jethro.

Ten metres up the road, with a perfect view as the winner crossed the line, was Donna Lucas, a Meltham resident who had driven up from West Yorkshire that morning with her husband.

“I’ve seen the Olympic road race and Ride London, but we missed the Tour de France in Yorkshire two years ago, so were determined not to miss out again.”

Knaresborough

The riders raced through Knaresborough - one of the most memorable spots of the 2014 Tour de France.

The town was decorated to welcome the peloton.

Thunderous applause in Tadcaster

The riders were given a huge welcome in Tadcaster.

Racing through the streets of Market Weighton

Excited spectators braved the cold and wet weather to watch world class cyclists speed through Market Weighton and surrounding villages during the first stage of the Tour de Yorkshire today.

Stage one got underway in Beverley at about 12noon and the peloton raced to Holme on the Wolds and then Market Weighton along Londesborough Road, Market Place and Holme Road. The cyclists headed westwards through Holme-on-Spalding Moor, Foggathorpe and Bubwith.

Hundreds of people lined the streets of Market Weighton for the sporting extravaganza, and the town centre was decked out in yellow and blue bunting and Yorkshire flags for the event.

Beverley’s historic day

The eyes of the cycling world against turned to East Yorkshire, as the second Tour de Yorkshire race got underway.

Last year’s inaugural race began on the coast at Bridlington, and this time the market town of Beverley was given the honour of hosting the start.

Sports fans there are more used to watch racing on four legs, rather than two wheels, but around 30,000 people were expected to line the route in the early stages, as the peloton left the town’s historic Saturday Market and headed out towards the racecourse.

The enthusiastic crowds defied the gloomy weather and race organiser Sir Gary Verity said the town should be proud of its efforts.

He said: “Beverley has done really well - it’s looking a picture.

“Look at the thousands of school children here. This is a day that they will remember for the rest of their lives.

“It’s a piece of history for a wonderful town.

“Bridlington did really well last year and Beverley will be equally as good.”

Once again, the biggest cheers were reserved for Sir Bradley Wiggins, but all of his attention was on the race ahead, rather than his birthday celebrations.

The Olympic champion turned 36 yesterday and was presented with a huge cake on stage before the race began, but he passed up on the offer of getting the spectators to sing a chorus of Happy Birthday.

East Yorkshire’s love for the tour was confirmed by local council leader Coun Stephen Parnaby, who promised that the area would bid to host a stage start or finish in 2017 - looking to complete its hat-trick.

“There were 25,000 people in Bridlington for the start last year, 30,000 in Beverley today. People will look forward to it again next year. We shall be bidding again, I can assure you, for a start or a finish.

“It’s a fantastic day and really puts us on the world stage. It’s a great, great opportunity for everybody.”

Despite the wet weather, East Riding town crier, Michael Wood, believes Beverley took the chance to be in the limelight.

“The weather could have been better but we Yorkshire folk are used to that,” he said.

“We’d best hope the cyclists are too. This event will put Beverley on the map with the race being broadcast to 178 countries. We are usually in York’s shadow, but today is our time in the spotlight and I think it is marvellous.”

The streets were painted blue and yellow with visitors dressing for the occasion as the cyclists made their way to Beverley Racecourse for the official start.

Mayor of Beverley, Peter Astell, said: “It is great to see so many people descend on Saturday Market. We as a town council have supported the decoration and interaction and we feel Beverley looks the part for all the coverage which is being broadcast worldwide.

“It is a great occasion and people have turned out in numbers to cheer the riders on which is fantastic.”

Richard Clark from Walkington said: “I am a leader for the BSkyB and we encourage participation into cycling. This is a massive event for Beverley with it being broadcast internationally and I believe the town can only benefit from hosting such an event. There are thousands of people here today that is only going to promote the town and will display and influence others to take up cycling.”

Sue Dewar and John Magee, from Hull, said: “We went along to the Tour de France when it was in the country and we loved it so we thought we would come to Beverley today. We don’t get events to this scale very often and even though the weather is not on our side, people have turned up in their thousands and it certainly is a fantastic occasion.”

Crash at Beverley Racecourse

A dramatic crash unfolded just seconds after the peloton passed Beverley Race Course - the official start line of the Tour de Yorkshire.

It comes after the peloton left Saturday Market at 11.50am amid cheers and support from thousands of well-wishers who turned out to spur on the grand event.

The riders have joined the A1035 towards Cherry Burton and going through Main Street and Etton Road towards Etton.

Key points along the route include the first sprint point at Bubwith at 1.06pm, then Tadcaster at 1.50pm, Knaresborough at 2.22pm, then the first King of the Mountain (KoM) point at Greenhow Hill at 3.02pm.

Riders on their way

That crash hasn’t affected too many riders, and, as you can see from the video Tweeted by @ONEProCycling below, the riders were cheered on their way out of Beverley by excited fans, delighted to watch the historic event in Beverley.

Crash!

Several riders are down as a crash takes place as the race begins in Beverley.

They’re off! The 2016 Tour de Yorkshire has begun

The race is on as the riders leave Beverley’s Saturday Market to officially begin the 2016 Tour de Yorkshire.

“You forget how hard Yorkshire is, terrain-wise, or I do anyway living in Lancashire.

“But I enjoyed the experience.

“It was certainly bigger than I think anyone anticipated.

“The crowds in York last year were incredible and it actually felt a bit like a Tour de France stage.

“It has become one of the biggest races on the calendar for teams like us, along with the Tour of Britain.”

Today’s first stage takes the riders from Beverley to Settle.

They will race between Otley and Doncaster tomorrow, before Sunday’s final showdown in the north of the county.

Wiggins regards the third stage, from Middlesbrough to Scarborough, as on a par with last year’s opener, which shocked hardened riders on some of the top continental teams with its severity.

“That’s Yorkshire,” said the 2012 Tour de France champion, the first Briton to claim overall victory in the world’s biggest annual sporting event.

“There’s not many flat roads in Yorkshire or places you could take it to make it easier than that.”

Welcome to Yorkshire, who host the race alongside Tour de France organisers Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), have big plans for the future, including adding at least one more day.

Wiggins believes that could actually make the Tour de Yorkshire less daunting.

“In some ways the longer it is, the better it is,” he said.

All eyes on Beverley ahead of Tour de Yorkshire start

The eyes of the world will be on Beverley when it hosts the official start of the Tour de Yorkshire today.

Thousands of people expected to flock to the town to catch a glimpse of the prestigious cycle race and its stars, including Sir Bradley Wiggins.

The Stage One ceremonial start will begin at 11.50am in the Saturday Market where the riders will go down Toll Gavel, before moving on to Cross Street, Lord Roberts Road and Railway Street. The participants will then take a right on to Trinity Lane, Armstrong Lane, past Flemingate Shopping Centre, and then onto Flemingate.

The B1230 leads the riders through Minster Yard South and Keldgate before turning right on to Lairgate, passing St Mary’s Church. They will then turn left on to the A1174 towards Beverley Racecourse, which is the official start line for the race, at around noon.

The riders will then join the A1035 towards Cherry Burton and going through Main Street and Etton Road towards Etton.

Key points along the route include the first sprint point at Bubwith at 1.06pm, then Tadcaster at 1.50pm, Knaresborough at 2.22pm, then the first King of the Mountain (KoM) point at Greenhow Hill at 3.02pm.

From there riders will visit Grassington at 3.20pm and cross the finish line at Settle for the first time at 4.06pm, before completing a circuit through Giggleswick and the stage finale at Settle at 4.26pm.

The streets of Beverley will be painted blue and yellow for the event and Beverley Town Council are hoping to make it a spectacle for all.

Cllr Duncan Jack said: “We would really love to see people get behind the event and come out in blue and yellow clothes and accessories as I think it would look fantastic.

“Last year the race just flicked through but this year we will have people travelling from all over to see the cyclists and the screen will encourage people to come to Beverley for the day which will benefit the local businesses.

“We want Beverley to look its best and we’re sure it’s going to be a great occasion for everyone in the town.”

The East Riding of Yorkshire Council has arranged for a big screen, which will be outside the King’s Head pub, to show the remainder of the race when the riders leave Saturday Market.

The Council’s programme of events kicks off early on the Friday morning prior to the ceremonial start and continuing throughout the day. Highlights include the presence of former World and Olympic champion cyclist Rebecca Romero who will lead a children’s race before having a meet and greet session with members of the public at Saturday Market.

Councillor Stephen Parnaby OBE, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “The council is proud to be supporting this year’s Tour de Yorkshire and is pleased to have secured the race start in Beverley.

Crowds expected in Pateley Bridge

There’s little bicycles in shop windows and colourful flags flying from the streets, towns are all set for the biggest sporting event to hit the Harrogate district since the Tour de France.

Cycling fans are getting excited at the prospect of the peleton of top cyclists, including Sir Bradley Wiggins, riding down Pateley Bridge High Street as the Tour de Yorkshire arrives today.

The first stage, which starts in Beverley and finishes in Settle, follows the River Nidd from Knaresborough to Ripley to near Brimham Rocks to Pateley Bridge before reaching the punishing Greenhow Hill.

The infamous steep, bendy narrow hill is expected to be the highlight of the Tour’s entire first stage.

Renamed the Cote de Greenhow Hill just for the day, the leading rider to conquer this dramatic 270m ascent will be awarded the first King of the Mountains jersey of this year’s Tour de Yorkshire.

Nidderdale Plus has been encouraging local people and businesses to get involved and support this major sporting event and the Dales has responded on force with the area’s schoolchildren making their own bunting.

As well as the Olympic champion and 2012 Tour de France winner Sir Bradley, 38 of the riders this weekend have competed in the Tour de France.

Stage One today will see the peloton race through Tadcaster, Boston Spa, Wetherby, Kirk Deighton, North Deighton and Little Ribston.

Stage Two on Saturday of the race will pass through Harewood, East Keswick, Thorner, Scholes and Barwick in Elmet.

The riders will be coming through Boston Spa’s High Street at approximately 1.59pm.

A big crowd is then expected at Tadcaster when the riders, speed through the town centre at 1.50pm, approximately.

Wetherby will be taking its place in the spotlight when Olympic champion Sir Bradley and co arrive at 2.07pm.

The approximate timings which matter to cycling fans in Nidderdale today are:

Sir Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire said: “The publicity caravan features some of the best-loved brands in Yorkshire, as well as the official Tour de Yorkshire artist and charity, and will provide a welcome and exciting new addition to the race.”

As previously reported in the Nidderdale Herald, there will be some road closures but, as a smaller race than the Tour de France, these should be much shorter, with the exception of those in the Greenhow Hill area.

A cCattle grid at exit to Beverley Westwood was not covered for the race. Due to wet weather the steel grid was slippery causing a multiple cash with injuries. Picture: Derek Schultz ASICI FRPS cannedphoto.com

Flags and bunting blow in the wind on the High Street in Knaresborough.

Cyclists on the descent off Greenhow Hill enroute to Grassington which is part of Friday's First Stage of the 2016 Tour de Yorkshire from Beverley to Settle. Picture: Bruce Rollinson